The development of Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area in Daxing district has sustained upward momentum, with its average annual GDP growth standing at 9.6 percent during the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-20), officials said.

The development area, also known as Beijing ETown, has further expanded its GDP to 204.5 billion yuan ($32.1 billion) so far this year. To date, the number of national-level high-tech enterprises located there is 1,628, or 2.8 times that of in 2015.

The added value of the local industry accounts for 30 percent of Beijing's total and the output value of its industries above designated size－those whose annual main business revenue is 20 million yuan or more－accounts for 22 percent of the city's total revenues.

A series of achievements have enhanced the level of biopharmaceutical innovation in Beijing ETown, such as the construction of China's biggest recombinant protein library and the development of the world's first deafness gene detection chip, officials said.

On Nov 23, the Beijing city government unveiled a guideline to support the capital in building itself into an international scientific and technological innovation center during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25). Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area is regarded as one of the frontiers to implement the guideline.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the development area will give full play to its industrial advantages and support the construction of Beijing as an international scientific and technological innovation center, said Liu Li, deputy head of the administrative committee of the development area.

In June, first-phase construction began on Tongming Lake Innovation Park in the area. It will be used as a new city landmark for incubating enterprises engaged in information and high-tech industries.

"In accordance with the national strategy, we will continue to enhance the ability of independent production. To provide higher-level security and services to high-tech companies, we will fully support the construction of Tongming Lake Innovation Park, organize an innovation industry alliance and set up an investment fund and a professional incubating system to serve enterprises' development," Liu said.

Relying on the industrial layout and beneficial policies, Beijing Etown has been transformed from a large area of farmland into an industrial cluster with international influence, officials said.

In the past year, the development area has given priority to the independent research and development of core technologies and high-end manufacturing, such as new display technology and integrated circuit design.

Fortune 500 companies and world-renowned multinational corporations, such as Mercedes-Benz, Nokia, GE, Bosch, Corning and Baidu, have flocked to the area.

On Feb 23, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp, China's top chipmaker, cooperated with the China Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund and Beijing E-Town International Investment Development to establish a subsidiary in the area.

Utilizing high-level investment and cutting-edge technologies in the integrated circuit sector in China, the development zone has fostered a complete industrial chain led by Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp and Naura Technology, another leading company focusing on advanced integrated circuit equipment, officials said.

The businesses are involved in IC design, wafer manufacturing, packaging and testing, and the manufacturing of equipment parts and materials. Their industrial scale accounts for half of Beijing's IC industry, officials said.

In October, Baidu and Pony.ai, a self-driving startup, were approved to conduct driverless tests on designated public roads in Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, making the area a frontier in the testing of robotaxis and new energy vehicles.

Innovation is everywhere, Liu said, referring to the development area, adding that its administrative committee will continue to improve the area's business environment and public services.